MCC NEET reforms: Tamil Nadu to retain its existing MBBS, BDS counselling policy this year
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Selection Committee has clarified that it will continue with its existing state counselling process for MBBS and BDS admissions for the 2026-27 academic year, despite recent changes introduced by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for All India Quota (AIQ) counselling.
In an attention notice issued on August 3, 2026, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Chennai, said the state counselling process will remain unchanged for the current admission cycle and will continue to follow the provisions already mentioned in the Tamil Nadu prospectus and relevant government orders.
The clarification comes after MCC introduced several changes to its AIQ counselling process for 2026-27. These include categorising candidates into "Freeze" (no upgradation) and "Float" (willing to upgrade) options, online document verification for Float candidates without initial physical reporting, and a digital seat resignation system through the MCC portal.
The Selection Committee stated that the state already maintains a robust, centralized document verification system. Candidates upload their certificates during the application process, where they are thoroughly scrutinised, while the original documents are physically verified by the allotted institution at the time of admission.
It also stated that the state has already transitioned to a digital resignation workflow. As per the state prospectus, candidates who wish to resign their allotted seats within the permitted period must do so only through the official counselling portal and offline resignations are not allowed.
The committee further said Tamil Nadu already provides candidates with opportunities for seat upgradation from Round 1 to Round 2 and from Round 2 to Round 3, with the rules governing the process clearly specified in the prospectus.
"For the current academic session (2026-2027), the Selection Committee will retain its existing State Counselling policy and procedures. Counselling and admission for Government Quota, Management Quota, Minority, and NRI seats in MBBS / BDS courses will strictly abide by the relevant Government Orders (G.O.(D) No.667 and G.O.(D) No.695) and the clauses published in the State Prospectus for 2026-2027," the notice mentioned.
The notice added that while no changes will be made this year, the Tamil Nadu government and the Selection Committee may consider aligning the state counselling process with national counselling frameworks in future years if required.
"The Government of Tamil Nadu and the Selection Committee remain committed to prioritising the welfare, clarity, and peace of mind of students. While the state policy remains unchanged for the current year (2026-2027), any prospective modifications or alignments with national counselling frameworks in subsequent years will be evaluated solely in the best interest of students. Any such future policy revisions will be communicated with sufficient advance notice and adequate preparation time to ensure a seamless transition for aspiring candidates. Candidates and parents are requested to follow the official website (www.tnmedicalselection.org) for all official updates, schedules, and notifications," the notice further added.
To view the notice, click on the link below:
